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The Vault of Horror Comic Price Guide

Value of The Vault of Horror Comic Books

EC Comics were responsible for some of the greatest horror comics of the 1950s.

With unparalleled quality of writing and art, and by setting the bar super-high on blood, guts, gore and terrifying concepts, The Vault of Horror was groundbreaking.

This series essentially created the horror comics genre. Sales of superhero comics plummeted, as comic buyers flocked to gory, grisly crime, suspense, science fiction and horror comics.

We break down The Vault of Horror comic issue by issue, with record sales, minimum values and average prices. If you have a horror comics collection, then send us your list and Comics and Collectibles Near ME will appraise it free of charge.

We also buy all 1950s horror, sci-fi, crime and suspense comics. Contact us now.

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The Vault of Horror Comic Values

Vault of Horror #12
Classic torture cover

Lowest price $450

Average price $3,600

Record price $31,300

One of the EC Comics which set records when the Gaines file copies came to market. Very popular in any shape.

Ties with Crypt of Terror for the first horror comics series.

A Word on Gaines File Copies

EC Comics publisher William Gaines kept several copies of all the comics he published filed away in perfect condition.

After his death, the Gaines file copies came to market. They smashed records for the highest-graded copies of each comic.

Gaines file copies are almost brand new in appearance, and their prices are miles above anything else that has been discovered.

EC Comics publisher William GainesEC Comics publisher William Gaines

The Vault of Horror #13
Morphine use story

Lowest price $200

Average price $1,200

Record price $7,200

Drugs were one of the taboo subjects of the era, especially in the 1950s. EC often challenged the status quo, publishing edgy content of all kinds.

The Vault of Horror #14

Lowest price $80

Average price $700

Record price $3,600

The Vault of Horror #15

Lowest price $80

Average price $500

Record price $3,150

The Vault of Horror #16

Lowest price $60

Average price $800

Record price $5,280

The Vault of Horror #17
Werewolf cover story

Lowest price $120

Average price $800

Record price $7,780

A werewolf cover makes this issue very popular with collectors.

The Vault of Horror comic #18

Lowest price $60

Average price $500

Record price $3,600

The Vault of Horror #19

Lowest price $80

Average price $600

Record price $4,500

The Vault of Horror #20

Lowest price $100

Average price $700

Record price $6,000

The Vault of Horror #21

Lowest price $80

Average price $500

Record price $4,500

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The Vault of Horror #22
Frankenstein's monster cover story

Lowest price $80

Average price $400

Record price $1,850

Publishers were always looking for royalty-free content. Frankenstein, published by Mary Shelley in the 19th century, was grist to the mill.

The Vault of Horror #23

Lowest price $80

Average price $400

Record price $3,600

The Vault of Horror #24

Lowest price $50

Average price $350

Record price $2,650

The Vault of Horror #25

Lowest price $80

Average price $450

Record price $2,900

The Vault of Horror #26

Lowest price $80

Average price $450

Record price $1,900

The Vault of Horror #27

Lowest price $80

Average price $500

Record price $2,880

The Vault of Horror #28

Lowest price $60

Average price $400

Record price $5,000

The Vault of Horror comic #29
Adaptation of Ray Bradbury story

Lowest price $100

Average price $500

Record price $2,900

Ray Bradbury was one of the greatest storytellers of his generation. This comic adapts one of his stories into comic form.

The Vault of Horror #30
Classic dismembered arm cover

Lowest price $100

Average price $700

Record price $7,800

The arm hanging from the overhead strap on a metro car is gross, slightly amusing and very memorable!

The Vault of Horror #31

Lowest price $40

Average price $200

Record price $2,000

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The Vault of Horror #32
Original cover image was censored prior to publication

Lowest price $200

Average price $600

Record price $2,600

The original image for the cover featured a meat cleaver sunk into the head of the man entering the door. Gaines' attorney insisted that it was censored.

A strange decision, given how many graphic covers EC had already published, but the wind was blowing in the direction of the Comics Code Authority by now. In hindsight, I bet Gaines wished he had published the original!

See below for the a proof of the original version.

The Vault of Horror #32 Original cover imageThe Vault of Horror #32 Original cover image

The Vault of Horror #33

Lowest price $80

Average price $450

Record price $2,300

The Vault of Horror #34

Lowest price $80

Average price $500

Record price $4,450

The Vault of Horror #35
Classic Christmas cover

Lowest price $500

Average price $1,700

Record price $9,000

Everybody knows that Christmas is a stressful season. People cope in different ways.

Some of us drink too much. Some of us eat too much. Some of us reach for the axe...

The Vault of Horror #36
Opium addict story

Lowest price $75

Average price $400

Record price $3,100

Drug stories (like cleavers in the head) are no big deal today. 70 years ago, they were incredibly edgy.

The Vault of Horror #37
1st Drusilla; hanging cover

Lowest price $100

Average price $450

Record price $4,000

Drusilla was a lot like Vampirella, a sexy undead vampish temptress.

The Vault of Horror comic #38

Lowest price $60

Average price $300

Record price $9,000

The Vault of Horror comic #39
Drusilla appearance; bondage cover

Lowest price $80

Average price $400

Record price $13,200

Bondage covers are keenly collected today.

The Vault of Horror comic #40
Last issue

Lowest price $60

Average price $300

Record price $2,900

The end of the line for Vault of Horror, just before the Comics Code Authority kicked in and ruined horror comics for decades.

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Pre Code Horror Comic Covers Revealed!
See close-up detail of the grossest and most valuable horror comic covers ever.

Comics and Collectibles Near ME buys all issues of The Vault of Horror comic!